The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Board reviewed the latest draft of the March-Wisbech business case. The draft full business case puts the project at GRIP 3B. Further work has been approved to deliver a study of the detailed design and proposed land acquisitions.
The cost of £220m includes construction costs for the railway line and the highways improvements that will be necessary to upgrade/close the 22 railway crossings on the route. The costs revealed in March have increased because statutory undertaker diversion costs were only supplied in May. Further cost revisions are expected to occur as statutory undertaker diversion costs have not been supplied by Cadent Gas and a peer review of the highway changes has not yet been completed.
The initial operations will be March-Wisbech only because of the capacity issues at Ely North junction.
The combined authority will engage Network Rail and the Department for Transport, with a submission to the Accelerating Existing Proposals section of the Restoring your Railway fund.
Source: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority